RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: BATF, as a transcription factor, and CD112, as a receptor for TIGIT, are involved in T-cell exhaustion. We investigated BATF and CD112 gene expression in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CLL patients and healthy subjects. METHODS: In a case-control study, 33 patients with CLL and 20 sex- and age-matched healthy individual were enrolled. Diagnosis and classification of patients was done according to immunophenotyping via flow cytometry and RAI staging system, respectively. Relative mRNA expression of BATF and CD112 was measured using qRT-PCR. RESULT: Our results showed that the expression of BATF and CD112 in CLL samples were significantly decreased in comparison those of the healthy controls (P = 0.0236 and P = 0.0002, respectively). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the role of BATF and CD112 not only as a role in T cell exhaustion, but in effector differentiation program in CLL, which warrants further studies in future.